


In the dark, I found you

by MidnightMilkyWay



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Forgive Me, M/M, for secret santa 2016, this is late im so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 10:54:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9231731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightMilkyWay/pseuds/MidnightMilkyWay
Summary: Keith loved spending time alone that is until a certain someone proved him wrong.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [witchlightsands](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=witchlightsands).



Keith was not a party person.

Never was, never will. The thought of being in enclosed spaces with people for an extended amount of time nearly gave him a headache.

He didn't mind other people celebrating, in fact it pleased him to know everyone would be gathered in one area. All he’d have to do is avoid the specific area and enjoy his alone time that consisted of him doing what he usually did but with no background noise. It was a nice compromise. 

Being away from Earth meant being away from the human made concept of time. No one even knew what day it was or if a day has truly passed here in Altea so when Pidge discovered that Earth was around it’s winter solstice, and after explaining what that meant to those who didn’t understand e.g. everyone but her and Shiro. Pure chaos erupted. 

And by chaos, he meant a festive disaster. Allura and Coran were excited to celebrate their first Christmas/New Years and it showed anywhere you could possibly step foot in. 

When the day came for their celebration, Keith tried his best to participate. He helped hand out food and greeted their allies from varying missions and even put a jingle bell on the final tree everyone decorated. No one could say he hadn’t participated or that he didn’t care, however there was always a limit to how much he could try. 

Eventually, Keith decided to slink away from the crowd. He didn't return to his quarter or training room. If anyone tried looking for him they’d knew he’d be there but he doubt anyone would since they were so preoccupied. Instead he went to his lion. Since no one would be able to force him out should the need arise. The lion was his right and his alone. 

He sat back on the recliner and shut his eyes for rest. There wasn’t much to do besides eat, train and sleep in space and Keith very much intended to exploit the convenience of it. 

He only had two minutes of silence before the intercom blasted beside his ear

“Keith you there?” It was Lance. Even though his voice was muffled by the walls of the red lion, there was no mistaking the ever present joy that latched itself to every word that came out that boy’s mouth.

Embarrassingly enough, it startled him that his leg shot out and hit the dashboard. Keith groaned in annoyed agony. 

Keith thought about what he should do. Ignore and hope he’d go away? Decidedly that would be the best course of action. Keith closed his eyes and waited for Lance to leave. 

“I heard that.” Lance sounded very amused and cocky. “Did you hurt yourself waking up to my beautiful voice?” Lance’s not beautiful and very much unwanted voice sounded washed out in Keith’s ear. Keith fumbled his hands until they found the button to the intercom. 

“What if I am? You want me to come out?” He challenged. 

“Well it's rude to walk off like you did.” Lance almost sounded offended. 

“Me? Rude? Neeever.” Keith sarcastically elongated and plopped his head back onto the seat. 

Keith heard a soft chuckle. “Why didn’t you want to stay? I saw you walked out but you never came back” 

“Did someone tell you to come get me?” Maybe it was Shiro, he always had a watchful eye over the Paladins as though he were afraid any of them could vanish into thin air. 

“No. I don't think anyone else noticed.” 

“Hmm.” Keith doesn't further the conversation but Lance being Lance needed to hear his self proclaimed ‘beautiful’ voice fill the silence. 

“So why are you even in here?” Keith could make out a faint tapping on the other line as he spoke. 

“I could ask you the same thing.” Keith fumbled around in the Lion’s compartment. Interesting, he found an Altean book, how favorable, now if only he knew how to read it. 

“Ok but I asked you first.” What a petulant way of answering, a reply like that should only be reserved for a child. Lance always did have that immature aspect to him. 

“I don't like parties.” Keith gave his wholehearted truth. Crowds of people and constant socializing for more than ten minutes were not things he looked forward to though he doubt Lance could ever understand seeing as he craved constant attention. 

“Okay then I’ll just keep you company.” 

Why would Lance deliberately offer to stay was beyond Keith’s comprehension. The party he helped organized continued if judging by the muffled music was anything to go off on. Keith wasn’t even sure they were friends. Comrades, Paladins, sure. Friends? That was debatable and he wasn't sure he wanted to think about that now. 

“It won’t be necessary besides weren’t you the one excited for the party?” Suspicion gnawed at Keith. There had to be something Lance wanted from him. 

“C’mon I’m trying to spread the festive cheer.” 

“Well put that spread back into its jar and find someone else to bother.” Keith crossed his arms over his chest as he attempted to burrow himself in his seat. 

A resounding chuckle prodded his ear, Keith would never admit it but Lance had a nice way of showing his happiness, sure he was loud and brash but Keith didn’t mind hearing his laughter despite doing so for others. He wasn’t sure why, Lance’s laughs didn’t sound any different from others. 

“You know you’re really funny sometimes.” Lance admitted. 

The comment confused Keith. Him funny? He always suspected Lance had deplorable humour but for him to think he was funny.... Keith found irony in the hilarity of it. He scowled at the intercom as proxy for Lance’s absence. 

“Wish I could say the same about you” Keith waited for a surefire snarky remark but when he was met with no reply, he nearly felt dejection. He would have been fine had Lance not romped hadn’t him into a slightly entertaining conversation just to drop him. 

In that moment, Keith felt his Lion give a minor rumble, a feeling he came to familiarize since becoming a Paladin. His lion was waking up without his command and Keith braced himself on the armrests. 

“Whoa kitty. Stay down I didn’t activate you.” The Red Lion was always a stubborn feline but Keith never seen it wake up on its own. 

“Kitty? Now that’s just insulting.” Lance’s voice once again prickled at Keith ear except a bit more welcomed this time. 

“I thought you left.” He sounded slightly angry which he had all right to. 

“You wish.” Keith heard the faint tapping of controls through Lance’s side. “Sorry, I think my lion woke yours up. It’s cute how they’re so connected. Anyways I was just debating whether or not you’d be up for a challenge.” 

“If it’s a challenge issued by you then it’s not much of a challenge but I’ll still take it.”

“How about a race? There’s a spot in the northern area that has something cool to be seen.” The idea of the challenge was pretty exciting and it bought back their customary routine of constantly having to one-up each other. 

Keith hadn’t given Lance a fair moment before he and his lion bolted out and began heading north. The exhilaration that came with riding the Red Lion was intoxicating. It faintly reminded him of his days at the Garrison before he was expelled. Prior to the formation of Voltron, any memories of his school says would have left him bitter. Now he was more receptive to them since without his expulsion, he would have never found his way to the chain of events that eventually bought everyone together. 

“Hey!” Lance exclaimed and soon he was tailing behind Keith. Keith didn’t know where Lance wanted to go but considering Lance hadn’t told him he’s headed the wrong direction, he figured he was on the right track and sped up. 

Wait!” Keith halted his lion and turned to face Lance’s complementary one. “Here it is!” Keith watched as Lance’s blue lion sat in the middle of the empty landscape they currently resided in. His own lion followed the example and slowly set itself on the ground. 

“So where’s this cool thing you mentioned?’ Keith looked around wondering when the thing in question would make itself known. 

“Look up at the sky.” Keith did so. Nothing out of the ordinary appeared and this disappointed Keith. He wasn’t sure what to expect but nothing was not it. 

“See that star in between those two larger ones.” He didn’t but he didn't want to crush the wistfulness in Lance’s voice. He hummed his feigned acknowledgement.

“It's Earth.” This peaked Keith’s curiosity and with a little more motivation, Keith tried harder at locating their home planet. Seeing Earth from a different perspective was a bit jarring and surreal. 

“You think we’ll ever go back home?” 

‘I hope you can one day return home’ Keith wanted to say. To him, Earth was no home, at least not in the way the other Paladins viewed it. Earth was just a residence, very much like Altea was his temporary home though he would never tell them.

“Maybe once this is all over.” Keith offered his condolence. An uncomfortable silence rang between them. There was no telling when it will be over. Neither of them bought the fact up despite it being common knowledge. As far as they were concerned, this was only their beginning. 

“I kinda feel bad leaving everyone like that. Do you think they’ll be mad?”

“Upset probably but not mad.” In all honesty, even if they did get mad, they’d have all right to. Especially Allura and Coran, the night was suppose to be their introduction to human celebrations. After all the weeks of Altean food, customs and learning, they wanted to show their gratitude by helping them organize and participate in a human festival. Keith would make it up to them somehow. 

“We should head back.” Keith said and a part of him vehemently objected. In truth, he quite enjoyed himself. Lance’s presence besides him had been pleasant and it’d been a long time since he’d been able to feel that. 

“Yeah. It's getting late.” They started their Lions up once more. 

“You know, as much as I liked this, maybe next time we could talk face to face.” Throughout their whole conversation, they were using their lion’s intercom and it didn't occur to Keith that Lance would want to see him given he could any other time. Their lack of physical interaction didn't inhibit Keith’s enjoyment of their time. He shrugged despite being seen by Lance. 

“I’ll think about it.” Though he already knew the answer, he didn’t let Lance know. 

-

As expected, everyone was upset save for Shiro was mostly infuriated for a couple of reason. First they had left without permission. What if they were under attack and needed to form Voltron?

Secondly, they disrespected Allura and Coran who had wanted to spend quality time with them after everything they’ve done for them.

After an explanation of what they were doing and an apology to the Alteans, everyone headed to sleep. It hadn't felt like a long time Lance and Keith were out but according to everyone they were absent for a while. They had missed the passing of a New Year but at the very least, Keith wasn’t alone to welcome the new year. 

Keith was used to not receiving gifts but in that moment It occurred to him that he had obtained something that day. 

“Hey!” He called out to Lance’s retreating form. 

“Yeah.” Lance stopped and looked at him. 

Keith paused and opened his mouth only to have it falter on him but looking at Lance’s expecting face, he managed to try again. “Thank you”

Lance gave him a knowing smile. “There’s the spirit.”


End file.
